Z1 vs HD110U

Mariano Nante · July 4, 2007

Hi,

I'm directing a black and white short film two months from now. My university provides me with a DVCAM (SONY DV- DXC D50P), of which I don't know much. Considering that it's 4:3, I think it's not up to the task (also taking into account the size of the production).

I've worked with HDV before, and I'm stuck between a couple of choices. I can either get a Sony HDV (FX1 or Z1), which I can get for little money, or I can rent a JVC GY-HD110U for $100 a day.

Is this camera worth the difference?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Brian Drysdale · July 4, 2007

It depends if renting the JVC is doing to reduce your production values. For example, if it means by using the Sony Z1 you can afford a better actor go for the Sony.

The JVC is regarded as being more filmic looking and if this is important to your short, this makes it worth considering. The JVC uses a manual zoom, which could be advantageous on a drama.

There are no simple answers, both cameras can produce good results. The decision will really come down to your film and which camera will work best for it.

Also consider your post and if your NLE can handle the progressive HDV from the JVC, as against the interlace on the Sony.

You should test each camera and make your decision.

Edited July 4, 2007 by Brian Drysdale

Mariano Nante · July 4, 2007

Thanks for your kind reply.

Yeah, the problem is that I cannot test the cameras, because it would mean renting them an extra day...

My shoot is only 2 days long, and that's why I can afford the camera. I am facing all the costs of the production, which are not much because we are all students and we are not paying for anyone's work. I don't have a fixed budget, and I am willing to spend a little extra if something is worth it. By no means will this camera affect any other department; just the overall cost.

Let me tell you a bit about the project. Most of the film is still photography, which I intend to do with an analogic camera. These pictures will be intercut with footage of a man alone in an apartment, and they will all be long shots with complex lighting setups. I kinda need a very filmic image, with good detail and latitude. The thing I don't like about the Z1 is its relatively poor dynamic range and its grayish image (I don't know if it's the right word for it). But I've never seen it work in black and white...

Thanks again,

Mariano Nante · July 6, 2007

Me again.

I found another competitor. The CANON XH A1. It's supposed to have the same image quality as it's bigger brother (XL H1). This one I can get for very little money. What do you think about it? How does it stand against the Z1?

Thanks for your input.

Brian Drysdale · July 7, 2007

Me again.

I found another competitor. The CANON XH A1. It's supposed to have the same image quality as it's bigger brother (XL H1). This one I can get for very little money. What do you think about it? How does it stand against the Z1?

Thanks for your input.

I've never used the Canon, but any reports I've read say it holds up well to the Z1. It also has the "F" setting - Canon's version of progressive frames.

Tebbe Schoeningh · August 25, 2007

Kind of funny, I´m responding here and where studying at the same university...

My personal experience with the Z1 is quiet good, especially in low-light situations the footage looks quiet nice. obviously it hasn´t the same dynamic range as film has, but compared to the canon your mentioning, the blacks look deeper...

i worked on the canon xh a1 (NTSC-Version) on two shorts and I didn´t like the camera because we had A LOT of problems in postproduction. Final Cut 5.1.4 didnt recognize the device and finally we were only able to edit downconverted material which looked really bad.

saludos, compadre

tebbe

Aaron Gonthier · August 26, 2007

I use an XH A1 as my only camera. I have had no problems putting the video into Sony Vegas 7 via the firewire port. Not sure how it would work with other edit programs, though. Check to see if your edit software supports HD.